Essendon, as it did before the start of the season, needs midfielders of pace, vision and class. And it just doesn’t have them. With stoppage experts Sam Lonergan and Jobe Watson out injured, they don’t even have the in-and-under grunt they used to good effect early in the season. Second-year prospect Jake Melksham, made substitute last week, will be required to provide some engine room grunt, and Brent Prismall needs to show of his best form against his old team if he wants to retain his place. The new boys providing hope - marking medium-sized forward Stuart Crameri and backline distributor Dyson Heppell, appear to be getting a little tired, but ex-VFL half-back Michael Hibberd, who didn’t debut until round six, is still thriving.

Geelong is resting Taylor Hunt and Travis Varcoe, who finally showed his true worth last week after a disappointing first half of the season. That will leave Joel Corey as the only Cat to have played every game. It appears senior Geelong players are pretty keen to face Mark Thompson’s Essendon - the injury list has been cut dramatically this week, and it should be almost the strongest Geelong line-up that faces the Bombers. That will mean some kids who performed well last week will miss out, but Varcoe’s absence could see speedy, strong midfielder Allen Christensen get another chance.

FORM

Essendon (5-7-1, 10th) L 16 Rich, L 33 Mel, L 34 Frem, L 21 North, L 65 Haw Essendon’s losing streak is getting worse as their injuries mount. The Dons, originally just a little flat against Richmond, became insipid against the Demons, and fell all the way to embarrassing in the second quarter of last week’s humiliating loss to a supposedly undermanned Hawthorn. The players look tired and devoid of confidence, unable to exert the same levels of pressure which delivered such a bright start to the season.

Geelong (13-0, 1st) W 66 Geel, W 61 WB, W 5 Haw, W 28 StK, W 52 AdelThe Cats have ploughed on methodically, utilising their unbeaten record to rest senior players - only two Geelong players have now played every game. Their spasmodic effort against the Hawks was followed by a workmanlike performance to beat the Saints when badly affected by injury, and last week’s demolition of Adelaide, with half a dozen first-choice players missing, was not just impressive, but productive, as it uncovered a number of capable potential back-ups should injury again hit. Fit, in-form and enthused, this is a group that can’t kick the habit of winning.

HISTORY

The Cats, already leading comfortably, kicked 12 goals to four after half-time to blow the Bombers away in the round 10 clash between the teams last year. They had trailed a tighter round one match at three quarter-time before booting eight goals to two and running out 31-point victors. That was as close as the Bombers have been to Geelong since 2005 - the Cats have won the past six matches by an average of 59.5 points.

VERDICT

Make no mistake, Geelong will be motivated to defeat the team of its former coach. There is no need for any big statements in the press prior to the event - the Cats will be keen to let their on-field performance remind Mark Thompson of what he left behind. And with most of their senior players available and thus fired-up, this lop-sided contest shapes as even more of a mis-match. Geelong will absolutely dominate the midfield, where Essendon, missing the injured Jobe Watson, are currently as weak as any team in the competition. The class deficit doesn’t end there - Geelong’s A-grade defence will feast on a confused and tired Essendon forward line. The Bombers do not have the effective tall targets, speedy crumbers, or in-form medium sized options to trouble the Cats rebounders. Essendon's defence will be under siege from early in the match, and will do very well to keep the margin from blowing out beyond ten goals.

1 Jul
As the Western Bulldogs await Callan Ward's unenviable love-or-money decision on his football future, coach Rodney Eade said yesterday that Greater Western Sydney's approach to his young star was ''just the system we live in'' and something clubs would have to get used to.